New York Murders
by TheHellfireClub
Summary: Kind of like Saw I geuss, a killer is hunting the Friends and it is a suprise on who it really is. Post Fianle please R&R! NEW CHAPTERS!
1. Those in Cenrtal Perk

**Chapter 1: Those in Central Perk**

Ross stares down at his paper. It was a little torubling not because Chanlder was making faces to distract him, but rather the fact that there was a story of another murder in Grenwich Village. Two in one week, it seemed disturbing.

Ross and Chandler were the only friends that were in Central Perk, it was getting deeper into the evening and many others were clearing out. Ross and Chandler still waited for there orders to come.

"Man what is taking it so long, I might just go on up there." Ross said.

He was somewhat shocked not to get an answer from Chandler so he put his paper down. When he did this he saw Chandler kneeling right in front of him with a breadbaskit on his head pouting.

Ross jumped once he saw this.

"Gotcha." Chandler said nodding his head and laughing.

"Oh yeah real mature. But seriously it's like almost 10:30, it should be closing soon and we haven't recieved service in a while." Ross said in a serious tone.

"Maybe it's because nobody is behind the counter." Chandler said peering his head to see the counter and looking confused.

"Hey did you notice that we are the only people here now." Chandler continued.

"Yeah, maybe people left because they didn't get service, Gunther! You in the back?" Ross spoke and then shouted.

They got a chilly silence.

"Kind of spooky." Chandler said.

"Yeah whatever. I well let me finish up with my cookie and we will leave, I paid for this and now I am going to finish it." Ross said stubbornly.

"Okay, want me to wait?" Chandler asked.

"Yeah, I will only be a minute." Ross said taking a bite.

Five minutes elapsed and Ross finished his cookie, still nobody came out of the back and they were still alone, the lights dimmed as the clouds covered the moon. Both men walked to the coat rack together and grabbed thier coats. Chandler walked to push the door but it didn't budge.

"That's odd." He said pulling it and ramming into it.

"Try the other one this one must be stuck." he said to Ross.

Ross did so, but the same thing happened.

"Maybe they...locked it, yeah that has to be it." Ross said in a nervous tone.

"Yeah but when you lock a door, it locks so you can't get in from the other side, besides I didn't see anybody go and do that." Chandler said.

They heard a small noise from the back room.

"Gunther?" Ross said, his voice cracked, his nerves were getting the better of him.

But there was no answer.

"Anyone?" Chandler said next, now he was getting a little frightened.

Again there was no answer.

"Kind of like those news stories. Huh?" Chandler said.

"What one, the two guys that got locked in a coffee house and stupidly didn't just break a window or call for help." Ross joked.

"No the killer, the New York killer, he traps his victims and toys with them." Chandler said.

"Hey come on that's not funny." Ross said spooked by what he was hearing.

"Yeah sorry." Chandler said, unsure if he was joking or really beleived something was happening.

"Uh, hey you got your cellphone on you?" Chandler said.

"I know where you going with this but no, you don't have your phone either?" Ross said.

Chandler shook his head.

"Why not the cafe phone, it was working earlier, we can call from there." Ross said finally with a smile, he was sure it would work.

They both approahced the counter, but before the could even reach for the phone it began to ring. Ross jumped back and knocked him and Chandler over.

"Sorry, I'm kind of jumpy." Ross said.

"Well at least we know it works. So answer it and tell them to get help." Chandler said.

Ross got to his feet and picked up the phone.

"Hello." He said calmly.

"Hello, Ross. You don't know me but I know you." A voice spoke.

"Who is this, Gunther is it you from the back playing a joke, or Joey." Ross said.

"Call me X for now. I noticed earlier that you were reading the paper, did you see the section on New York Murder, that was me. Now listen up, I want you and your friend to die." X said.

"Wha-what this is ridiculous, your kidding." Ross said.

"I didn't trap you in there for nothing, think of it as an honor to be selected, now I want you two to do anything you can to fight for your survival, but I know after this call you will be calling the police, so I will cut the power and leave you to wait for death." X said about to hang up.

"Wait, this is insane, why us?" Ross asked.

"Because I study up on my prey, I know about you, Chandler, Joey Monica Rachel and Phoebe. Because of you they will die, I saw you one morning and picked you, so anything that happens from this point is your fault." X said finally hanging up.

Ross dropped the phone.

"Who was it?" Chandler said.

"I don''t think your going to believe me." Ross said.

"It was..well a killer, like you said one from the paper." Ross said.

"Oh I get it, your reversing my joke on me very funny, but seriously who was it?" Chandler said.

"It was the killer, jokes asside I am being serious, it was X from the papers, Chandler you have to believe me!" Ross yelled.

Chandler was about to say something when suddenly, all the lights went out.


	2. Pasta, Thunderstorms, and Killers

**Chapter 2: Pasta, Thunderstorms and Killers**

Monica reached in her cabinant in her apartment, even with her new family she couldn't let the place go. A well deserved weekend belonged to her, stress free, her children were at her parent's house for the week.

Finally she retireved her box of dry pasta. She was cooking a meal, with Chandler on a boys night out with Ross, she planned to invite Phoebe over for dinner. She turned to her boiling pot of water and dropped the stiff noodles into it.

It sizzled at first but eventually died down. She flipped the lid of the the sauce and it was nearly done, as was the rest of the meal. Suddenly Phoebe burst into the room.

"Hey Mon." she said approaching the table.

"Hi Phoebe, everything is almost done." Monica said greeting her friend.

Then an odd beeping sound filled the air, it was faint but noticable. It seemed to be a cellphone coming from Monica and Chandler's bedroom.

"What is that?" Phoebe asked.

"I think it's Chandler's cellhpone, I thought he had, I'll go check it real quick." Monica said walking into the room.

She had to dig through the pockets of a pair of Chandler's jeans that was in his hamper, before she retireved the phone. She flipped it open and spoke.

"Hello." she said.

She received no answer at first just a cold sillence, it was odd that it peirced her nerves and made her as stiff as a board but she said again.

"Hello, this is Monica." she spoke in a shaky tone.

She heard breathing, in an odd fashion almost twisted. Then Monica's lips curved into a smile and she began to chuckle.

"Chandler, you think prank calling me is funny, well HA-HA." Monica said.  
"Well we know who isn't getting any tonight." she continued then with a follow through of hanging up.

She never was sure it was Chandler, but she relly wanted to believe so. She returned to the kitchen where she found Phoebe scanning through a magazine.

"It was Chandler doing a prank call." Monica admitted without being asked.

"Oh, what did you say when you found out?" Phoebe asked.

"I just hung up." Monica said turning off the stove and emtying the water from the pan of pasta.

"Well, I'm sorry that I am late, a lot of people are trying to get home, it's going to storm any minute now." Phoebe said.

"Well it won't ruin our night, I rented a movie." Monica said getting out bowls.

"Oh what one?" Phoebe said getting excited.

"_Cassinova_." Monica replied.

"Oh." Phoebe said loosing all enthusiasum.

Once Monica got the plates on the tabe and sat down, it began to storm outside.

"Wow, it's really coming down." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, but anyways, what did you do today?" Monca asked.

"Oh, I saw that case on TV with Mike, about that New York Muderer. Did you know they linked two murders to the same guy and haven't caught him yet." Phoebe said.

"Yeah I read about that in today's morning paper, it is really freaky." Monica said spooing some pasta into her mouth.

Suddenly the power went out.

"Oh, the damn storm must have hit a wire or blown a fuse." Monica said going to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Phoebe said.

"I'm getting some candles." Monica said from under her sink.

Then the Chandler's cellhpone began to ring.

"I'll get it." Phoebe said.

She saw it glowing by the balcony window.

"Hello." Phoebe said.

"Hello Phoebe." said a scratchy voice.

"Hi, who is this?" she asked.

"My name is irrelvant just call me X. Now you may have seen my work in the paper, those two murders, well I want you to know that your next." X said.

"What?" Phoebe said shocked.

"Yes, and if you even think of calling the cops, I will kill Ross and Chandler, I can see them right now panicking. So go ahead and tell Monica. I'll be on the line." X said.

"Who is it?" Monica whispered coming out of the bathroom with a handful of candles.

"It's the killer from the paper." Phoebe said.

"Yeah right, wait where did you find Chandler's phone?" Monica said in a puzzled voice.

"It was right here, by the open window." Phoebe replied.

"I didn't leave it there and that window wasn't opened before." Monica said.

Both the girls had an awe-stocken and firghtened face, then Phoebe heard the phone click, X had hung up. 


	3. Pizza at Joeys

**Chapter 3: Pizza at Joeys**

Rachel sat at the counter in Joey's apartment. They had ordered a pizza, and were planning ion having dinner together. Nothing special, just friends. Joey entered from out of his bedroom.

"Hey where's the pizza, why isn't it here." Joey said concerned.

"Uh, Joey, honey, we ordered it only five minutes ago." Rachel said.

"But I'm hungry." Joey whined.

"Why don't we watch TV while we wait?" Rachel suggested calming Joey's hunger.

"Okay." Joey replied.

He turned on the TV and all there was, was static. The storm was heavy, and it wasn't the first time they had lost power during a storm.

"Damnit!" Joey moaned.

"Okay we can, well… wow, y'know there really isn't anything to do here without food or TV." Rachel said.

"What else do you do around here?" Rachel questioned.

"Other than eat or watch TV…sex." Joey answered.

"Oh." Rachel said regretting that she asked.

"So, do you wan" Joey began, but Rachel interrupted.

"No, Joey!" she said.

The phone rang, and to break tension Rachel almost diving at the phone.

"Hello." She said.

"Ah Rachel, how are you?" a deep voice asked.

"Fine, who is this?" Rachel asked.

"Just call me X. You may have seen my work in the papers, the New York Murders. You and your friends are my next victims." X said, speaking without emotion.

"What, no, no that's ridiculous." Rachel said her voice cracking from fear.

"This is not a joke, if you don't believe me, turn to channel 45." X said.

"Our TV is out, come on give it up." Rachel said.

"Just do it." X stated.

"Fine." Rachel said covering the bottom of the phone, and looking art Joey.

"Hey Joey, go to channel 45." Rachel whispered.

"Okay." Joey said in a confused tone, but didn't raise any question.

That was the only working channel they had, it showed an angle upright view of Central Perk, where Chandler and Ross were banging on the doors, helplessly.

"Is that Chandler and…and Ross?' Rachel said uncovering the phone.

"Yes, I have your friends, and I advise you not to panic and hang up, because once this phone call ends, your phone tab will be cut, loosing connection." X said, now seeming pleased with himself.

"I can just walk right out and get help." Rachel said.

"Go ahead; walk out the door if you can." X said.

Rachel did so and tried, the knob wouldn't turn, and the door wouldn't budge. She asked Joey to take a ram at it, but still nothing.

"Who are you?" Rachel; said in a scared and emotional tone.

"I told you." X said.

"Why, why are you doing this?" Rachel said now practically crying.

"I have my reasons." X said.

Joey looked up, and ran by Rachel.

"What's going on? Who is it?" Joey said now really concerned.

"It's X, the killer, the New York Murderer." Rachel said falling to the ground.

"What?" Joey said confused even more.

Rachel just held the phone out and Joey grabbed it.

"Hello?" he said.

But he receives no answer, just a chilly silence then the dial tone.

"Rachel nobody is there, what's going, is that Chandler and Ross?" Joey bombarded with the questions, but Rachel was to upset to talk.

Suddenly the lights went, and they heard a laughter coming from inside the room.


	4. For One to Live, One Must Die

**Chapter 4: For One to Live, One Must Die**

"The windows, if we break them we can leave." Ross said, he spoke quickly because he was beyond the point of sheer terror.

"Maybe or we can go through the back door." Chandler said shrugging.

"Yeah, but we heard a crash from in there before, and besides he probably sealed that door too, here grab the coat rack with me, we can break the window." Ross said.

As they lifted it the phone began to ring rapidly. The two friends looked at each other and dropped the coat rack and approached the phone. Ross wearily grabbed it.

"Hello." He spoke into the phone still with a small hope that it would be someone to help.

"What are you doing, breaking the window, to that and I will kill you on the street." X said, this time he did not seem so calm, he seemed enraged.

"So…so we wait what, you're here at the building?" Ross said confused.

"That is irrelevant, all you need to know is that if you leave I will personally kill you both. But Ross, there is still hope for you, but you alone. You see your only way out alive is Chandler." X said.

"What that doesn't make sense." Ross said now even more confused.

"If you can prove to be the superior being, and show me you are above the rest, more than a normal man, then I will let you go." X said.

"No that's insane, besides even I did, and I'm saying I will because I would never, but you would just kill me." Ross said as if he had figured this whole thing out.

"Well I thought you read my article, I let one person go, one person who did exactly what I said." X exclaimed.

"Whatever, I wont do it." Ross said sternly.

"For one of you to survive, one of you must die, or have it your way, and both of you will die." X said hanging up.

Ross put the phone down and grimly turned to Chandler.

"Was it him, the killer, what did he say?" Chandler said eagerly.

"Uhh, yeah he told me some stuff." Ross said, he didn't want to tell Chandler that X had told him to kill him, it would make Chandler worry and the situation would be awkward and the trust would be shattered.

"Well…" Chandler said waiting.

"He said if we broke the window he would kill us outside, on the street, which means he must be at the perimeter of Central Perk." Ross said.

"Wait, how did he know we were going to smash the window?" Chandler said.

"I don't know, maybe he has a camera, or is watching from the windows." Ross suggested.

"I think it is the cameras, or maybe he is in here, with us." Chandler said trembling.

They heard another crash from the kitchen, this was very noticeable, Ross grabbed a pan and Chandler grabbed a mug and they slowly walked into the dark back room.


	5. One Hour to Live

**Chapter 5: One Hour to Live**

"Monica, I'm not joking it was the guy, X." Phoebe exclaimed with a panicked look on her face.

"What, that can't be, I mean why us even?" Monica said hurried.

"He picks people at random, and toys with them. I mean you said that the window wasn't open." Phoebe said.

"Wait, that would mean, he is, well in here, or was at least. I mean someone had to move Chandler's cell phone. Phoebe, the only other person who could have moved it was you, are really serious?" Monica asked shakily.

"Yeah, I swear." Phoebe said looking Monica straight in the eyes.

"Alright then." Monica said steadily. "We're leaving, come on let's grab Joey and Rachel and get help." Monica said grabbing Phoebe's wrist and running to the door.

The odd thing was that the door wouldn't budge, the knob was stuck, it wasn't turning no matter how frantically Monica shook it.

"It's stuck, the door won't move, come on let's call for help." Monica said running back into the kitchen.

"But the powers out." Phoebe reminded her friend.

"Do you still have Chandler's cell phone?" Monica said smiling for the first time since X called.

Right as she mentioned it the cellular phone began to ring, Phoebe had it clutched in her left hand. As she pulled it to her face it read _Unknown Caller_. She turned to Monica, and they nodded at each other, Phoebe answered the phone.

"Hello." She said slowly, scared of the reply to come.

"Hello again Phoebe." X said, she could recognize that deep altered voice anywhere.

"Please, don't do this, let us go, please!" Phoebe began pleading right away. Monica turned and began to cry.

"Listen carefully, in exactly 60 minutes you and your friend will die, unless you can escape from the apartment." X said.

"What? How? Why?" Phoebe started firing the questions.

"After this phone call I will release a deadly nerve gas, little by little every 20 minutes, once you and Monica have ingested enough, your lungs will be overexposed to this unknown pressure and substance, and bleed out, killing you both." X said, acting pleased.

"Please don't do this!" Phoebe yelled.

"Prove to be superior and find a way out, or this hour will be your last. If you escape with breaking the door or windows, I will let you live." X said.

"And if we break the windows or the door?" Phoebe said, in a smart ass way.

"I will kill you the moment you do it, which obviously means I am near your building. And don't even think of calling for help on the cell phone, I have the frequency so you are a one-line way directly to me." X said.

"How long ago did you start gassing?" Phoebe asked hoping to calculate the time they had left.

"I will begin after this call had ended, you now have one hour to live." X said hanging up the phone.

Phoebe turned to Monica with an awe-stricken look on her face.


	6. The Choice

**Chapter 6: The Choice**

A loud, high pitched girlish shriek filled the room.

"Joey, calm down." Rachel said to keep him quiet.

She was trying to find the source of the laughing; it was odd it seemed to stay in consistency. It never changed tone, pitch or loudness. Rachel hurried to the door and grabbed a flashlight, once she clicked it, it revealed that no one else was there, and Joey on the ground cowering.

"Joey, get up, no one's here." Rachel said darting the flashlight from corner to corner just be sure.

"Then what the hell are we hearing?" Joey asked standing himself up.

"I don't know, its laughing, but it isn't someone in here, it sounds like the TV." Rachel said.

"It has no sound, just the pictures of Chandler and Ross, which is weird enough, and the phone call? Rachel what's going on here?" Joey demanded.

"You won't believe me, but it was the killer, you know, from the New York Times, hes the murderer. Joey please doesn't think I'm crazy, but we have to leave now!" Rachel said.

"I thought we were locked in?" Joey said now even more puzzled.

"The window, in my room, we can climb through it and down to the street." Rachel said approaching the room.

"Rach, this is crazy, let's just call the cops, and please that damn fake laughter is driving me crazy, let's find it, and then call for help, y'know so we can show them that we aren't making it up." Joey suggested.

"Alright, I think it's coming from, the couch?" Rachel said confused.

Both of them slowly walked over to the couch, there nerves still shot by the thought of the situation. The laughing was muffled from there, and Rachel stuck her hand in-between two couch cushions, and pulled out a tape recorder.

"Is this yours?" Rachel said looking at Joey. Joey shook his head.

It kept the steady eerie laugh going. Curious Rachel pressed fast forward. It went all the way to a voice.

_Use your cell phone, hit Talk._

The deep voice spoke.

Joey pulled out his phone. And was about to hit Talk.

"No, wait Joey, what if he booby trapped our phones, or something." Rachel said frantically.

"Please Rach, that's ridiculous I had my phone with me all day. I think we will be okay." Joey said in a relaxed tone.

He ignored Rachel's warning and hit Talk, It rang once and was answered. It was X.

"Hello Joey." X said.

"Hello?" he said confused.

"It's me X. The man that will kill you in good time, you and all of your friends that is." X said chuckling.

"WHAT!" Joey said in a scared tone dropping the phone.

Rachel immediately picked it up.

"Hello" She spoke into the phone.

"Hello again, Rachel." X said.

"Please stop this, let us go, cant we make a deal or something please!" Rachel began frantically.

"Actually you and Joey's survival is in your hands." X said calmly.

"What? What do you mean?" Rachel said now puzzled.

"Listen and listen carefully, Under Joey's bed there are 3 identical silver briefcases. They look exact and weigh exact. Pull each out in front of you. One contains a bomb that when unlatching it will kill you instantly, another with a poisonous gas, which will activate upon opening as well. Then one with a clue to getting out of the building unharmed." X said.

"What, no that's insane." Rachel said.

"Actually there is a way to differentiate the boxes, you have a half hour to do this or I will activate the bomb anyways. Also, don't even think about calling for help, because this cell phone is a one way line to me. Have fun." X said hanging up.

Rachel put the phone down and explained everything to Joey. He was worried and unsure of what to do.

"We have to try and find the hint to opening the right one." Rachel said.

"Let's at least get them all out here and lay them out." Joey said now thinking rationally.

They did so and still the briefcases looked and felt all the same. Rachel panicked and looked back at the clock, knowing it was only a matter of time before she has to choose or die.


	7. Whats in the Kitchen?

Chapter 7: Whats in the Kitchen?

Chandler gripped his green mug tight as Ross slowly opened the door to the kitchen. Beads of sweat rolled slwoly down his face, he held a pan in his other hand, and Chandler stepped in to hit anything that would fly out.

"Ready?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, open it up." Chandler said trying to sound confident, but still shaky.

Ross quickly flung open the door and Chandler swung at the darkness, but that was all he hit, empitness and darkness. The two friends stood in the doorway, Ross flckered the light switch, not his surprise, it didn't work.

"Gunther, keeps a flashlight in here, feel around to your left." Chandler whispered to Ross.

Ross felt around a nearby counter for about 2 minutes and finally grasped a cylindrical item, and to his luck, it was the flashlight. He lficked the switch and a beam of light shot out in front of them, which revealed nothing but an eerie kitchen.

"Check every corner, and then we will move forward, together." Chandler instructed.

Ross did so, after each corner, they took few steps forward. Finally they made it to the center table. Chandler placed his mug down and picked up a nearby knife, Ross did the same, and discarded his pan, only to pick up a rolling pin.

"If I leave the flashlight here, facing upwards, we can dimly light the whole room. What do you think?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, then I'll go around this side of the table and you go around the other, I mean the crash could have came from anywhere." Chandler said.

"Yeah, but we can't rule out that something just fell." Ross stated.

"Or he could be watching us, luring us even, I mean he knew we were going to break the window, what if he saw us from here!" Chandler said getting panicked.

"Don't worry, it's two against one if that's the case." Ross said in a reassuring tone.

"I certainly hope so…" Chandler responded.

They did as planned and met at the other side of the table, with no sign of X. The walked forward, squinting their eyes to get a full sense of sight. They halted when something on the freezer caught their eyes. Two letters taped, one adressed to Chandler, another to Ross.

"Should we read them? It might be a trap." Chandler said to Ross.



"I don't think so…X likes to toy with people, y'know give them clues to survival, we should each read our own." Ross said, still being skeptical of Chandler, and after the offer X made him, he doesn't know if Chandler somehow got similar instructions to kill Ross.

Ross read his letter:

_Good job, you two made it to the kitchen…I know your thinking of my offer, and I gaurentee you, that if you kill Chandler, you will be let free without harm. I want to make the stakes highter for you, either you kill Chandler before the hour is over, or I kill your girlfriend Rachel and leave the photos to your finding…the choice is yours._

Chandler read his letter as well:

_Hello Chandler, I take you and Ross are reading the letters at the same time. I will honoest with you, my letter to Ross gave instructions to kill you, don't believe me, ask him what his letter was about when your done reading, if he lies and says 'It is just him toying with us' or something along those lines, you will lnow. Ask him to see it, and he will detour you. All I ask of you is too be ready and do not trust him, and either stop him from killing by killing him first, or wait until he attempts to kill you and kill him….the choice is yours._

Chandler looked up at Ross.

"What did yours say?" Chandler asked innocently.

"Nothing, just him messing with me, trying to scare me." Ross said, leaving out the part about killing Chandler.

Chandler's eyes widened, but not enough for Ross to notice. He then asked: "Can I see it."

"Hey, lets see if we can find something in the freezer." Ross said completley ignoring Chandler.

Chandler now knew that X wasn't lying…but he couldn't be sure. But he couldn't act suspiciously around Ross, besides he still had trust for his friend.

"Help me with the door." Ross said to Chandler.

Chandler movedfoward, and his foot his something, he tapped Ross and pointed down, it was another note, adressed to both of them. They assumed it fell, and opened rapidly, both peering at it. It read:

_Open the freezer for your next clue, it will be a good one,_

They both glanced at each other in confusion, and decided it was the best thing to do at the time, and the nudged the freezer, slowly opening it. Once it opened halfway, something fell out, it made a loud thud. Ross quickly ran and grabbed the flashlight to see what it was.

To both men's surprise, it was Gunther, he was covered in blood and dead.

"Oh my God!" Chandler said looking away.



"I don't get what 'clue' we can gain from this." Ross said studying his friends dead body.

"Maybe it means he isnt a suspect…or maybe it is showing us our deaths to come." Chandler said scared.

Suddenly they heard another crash from behind them, near wear the entered into the kitchen, Chandler readied his knife and stood.

"I don't know about you, but I am tired of playing games." Chandler said to Ross as he ran forward into the darkness, pointing his knife in front of him.

"No!" Ross yelled, but to buid more fear in the men, Ross' flashlight then died.


End file.
